Tag Archives: mice

Gaming mice. For years companies have branded specific mice as intended for “gaming.” I’ve gotten my hands on a number of them, and rarely am I impressed enough to continue using them for long periods of time. Honestly, I might use one for a couple of months before reverting back to one of my trusty Logitech mice that isn’t geared toward gamers at all. Why? Most of them just aren’t that comfortable for both gaming and everyday use.

I’m someone that uses my computer for more than 12 hours in a day, thus, comfort is key. If a mouse doesn’t fit my hand, then I couldn’t care less about all of the fancy macro buttons or customizable LEDs. So when the Cyborg R.A.T. 7 showed up on my doorstep, I was intrigued.

There are other 3D mouse/trackball solutions on the market already, like 3Dconnexion’s SpacePilot Pro, but I like what axsotic has done with their 3D-Spheric-Mouse. At first glance it doesn’t appear to do anything different than your standard trackball, which would also let you rotate a 3D model in any direction, but if you check out the video I’ve included below you’ll see that the sphere can also be pushed, pulled and even lifted to re-position a model in 3D space.

I also like that it allows a 3D artist to use both hands when texturing or modeling, though being ambidextrous would probably help a lot with such a setup. The mechanics of the 3D-Spheric-Mouse, which includes both springs and magnets, allows for 1,000 dpi optical precision when rotating an object, and 2,170 dpi when panning or zooming. It appears to work with the hundreds of 3D packages currently owned by Autodesk (and presumably 15-20 more since this article was written) plus others that haven’t been bought up yet. Pricing and availability haven’t been announced though, but you can register on their site to be one of the first to buy one if you’re already sold on the product.

Microsoft has managed to cram a lot of extra functionality into this Bluetooth mouse, including the ability to control a PowerPoint presentation or a home theater PC, a laser pointer for being ‘that guy’ in the meeting and a usable wireless range of about 30 feet. But I can’t help but feel that after just a few weeks of regular mousing the labels on those buttons on the underside of the mouse are going to get rubbed off, making it a crapshoot when it comes to figuring out which one does what. I mean for $79.95 the least they could have done is etched them into the plastic or something, but maybe I’m putting too much thought into this…

PC gamers such as myself are always big on customizing our keyboards and mice. Generally that means mapping keys to specific functions and adjusting the sensitivity of the mouse. However, when given the ability, we love to take the customization to a higher level. In the past we’ve seen mice that have adjustable weights, which can make a difference. However, Mad Catz has raised the bar when it comes to mouse customization with their new line of Cyborg R.A.T. mice.

The Cyborg R.A.T mouse is one of the craziest looking peripherals that I’ve seen. At first glance, it does not look like something that would be comfortable at all. However, after placing my hand on it, I found it to be exactly the opposite. In fact, thanks to the unique features it can become one of the most comfortable mice on the market.

I’ve never been able to understand trackball mice. No matter how much I use one, I still find it to be uncomfortable and less accurate than a traditional mouse. Nevertheless, some people swear by them. Well if you happen to be one of those people and in need of a number pad for your keyboard, then you’ll love this gadget.

The Track Ball Mouse Numerical Keypad Hub has got just about everything you’d want in a crazy hybrid gadget. You’ve got your mouse, number pad and even a pair of USB ports. Seriously, how many of you can say that your mouse is also a USB hub? That’s what I thought. For just under $60 you can blow the minds of each and every one of your coworkers.

When you hear of a mouse with more than 5 or 6 buttons, you tend to assume that it will be used for gaming. Of course gamers aren’t the only ones that like to assign macros and functions to their extra mouse buttons. Boring office tasks can also be made quicker with these same tools. That’s why the OpenOffice Mouse was born.

This thing honestly looks like some ugly mouse straight out of the mid-90’s. Function over form, as they say. The mouse features 18 programmable keys and one joystick. Apparently 18 buttons was the maximum number to have and still be able to find the right one by touch. Sure, it’s ugly, but if you like cramming as many functions as possible onto your mouse keys, then this $75 gadget is going to be right up your alley. It even has 512k of on-board memory so you can take your key bindings with you wherever you go.

The modern mouse hasn’t exactly seen a ton of technological improvements in the last couple of decades. Sure, we’ve added buttons, made them a little more ergonomic and substituted that ball for an optical sensor. However, when you strip it all away, it’s still the same basic concept.

With all of the advancements in multitouch technologies, Microsoft is convinced that the next big breakthrough in mousing is along that path. Like any company with an idea of the future, they have been hard at work trying to develop the next big thing. In a rare move for the software giant, Microsoft has decided to show off some of their prototypes which are currently in development. I’d go into detail about each, however the above video seems to do them justice. If you’re itching for more info, you can find it on Microsoft’s website.

Bear in mind that these are nothing more than prototypes. They are simply using these to explore the possibilities that these technologies can lead to. Don’t expect to see anything from Microsoft using these ideas anytime soon. When you do finally see this stuff on store shelves, it won’t look anything like what they’re showing off now.

In case you weren’t aware, the Transformers franchise is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. To commemorate the anniversary, Toshiba is releasing a new line of mice and USB flash drives. As you would imagine, there is more than meets the eye with each one. All will be fully transformable, and will set you back $50 each. Kids and huge fans of the series might enjoy them, but $50 is a bit much methinks. They haven’t released a lot of details, such as the capacity of the USB drives, though we do know these will be out before the holiday season.… Continue Reading

Last week Logitech announced two of their latest mice, equipped with Darkfield Technology. If you’ll recall, this feature allows mice to track on any smooth surface, regardless of whether or not it is reflective. While some people might not see the benefit in using a mouse on a reflective surface, those who want to use a mouse on their glass desk, or even something with a mirrored finish will be pleased. I’ve actually been testing out the Anywhere MX mouse for about a week now, and I thought I’d share my thoughts.

OhGizmo! is a frequently updated blog that focuses on covering items that will appeal to a very specific and often very passionate audience: the geek. Aside from the fare of innovative consumer electronic products, the reader can expect to find news about geek culture, absurd inventions, awe inspiring technology, and an ever growing assortment of articles that we like to think fit within our view of what we’re calling the Geek Lifestyle.